What's there to be Scared of?
by SilverMidnightPrincess
Summary: In which Lin and Bumi face their fears


**Probending Circuit Round Six**

**Team: Ba Sing Se Badgermoles**

**Position: Earthbender**

**Task: Character overcomes their fear**

**Prompts:**

**1 Point: (word) Moon**

**2 Points: (smell) Vanilla**

**3 Points: (restriction) No use of words beginning with 'P'**

**Word count: 1038**

* * *

The moon shone high over Air Temple Island and its inhabitants, who were sitting around the fire.

"Ok!" Bolin began, chewing his fifth toasted marshmallow while sitting on a rock seat around the campfire which he had bent up for everyone. "Everyone's biggest childhood secret." He said, gesturing around the circle. "Mako, you first."

His older brother shot Bolin a displeased look.

"Well, I guess, when I couldn't get us enough food, I'd tell Bolin I'd already eaten."

There was a collective 'awwww!' from everyone.

"Well I lied when I said I was full because I knew you hadn't. So there!"

Mako just shook his head and said it was all history now, so don't worry about it.

They got to Korra, "Well, I used to sneak out and go make friends when I was little."

Asami smiled, "I used to sneak out and meet my 'boyfriend' in town square"

Tenzin said, "I took dad's old glider and leave it in my locker in case I had a free class."

"Dad blamed me for that!" Bumi grumbled.

"Lin?"

"I used to sneak out and stay out late with Bumi." Su gasped,

"I knew it! When I was little, I dressed up in Lin's favourite dress and tried to use mom's makeup and got it all over the dress. I blamed Momo for dragging it in the dirt."

Lin scowled at her sister and told her secret: "Tenzin wasn't my first kiss." She smirked at her ex's face, and everyone else's for that matter.

"Who?" Tenzin asked, obviously annoyed.

"Who do you think, little brother?" Bumi asked, looking smug. Tenzin glanced at Lin for confirmation and glared at his brother when he received it.

"I was eighteen, back from the U.F., she, a young maiden of fourteen, had missed her very handsome best friend for a long time, so she kissed me. She smelled of vanilla." Bumi wrapped his arm around her and sniffed her hair. "Still does. And lavender too."

Everyone was silent, not knowing what to say. Except Korra, who burst out laughing until Bolin introduced the next topic.

"Ok, so how about somebody guesses each other's fears?"

"Tenzin's afraid of badgermoles!" Bumi called out. Lin nodded.

Asami guessed that Bolin was afraid of the dark, Korra said Asami was scared of being alone, Mako said Korra was afraid of getting her bending taken again, and Lin said Mako was afraid of loss.

"What? I'm not afraid of loss!" Mako argued,

"You are, I can see it when you look at your brother."

Mako sighed and crossed his arms, giving up.

"Well, Bumi's afraid of commitment."

"Never said I wasn't, but I don't call years in the force not being committed."

"Romantically, Bumi."

Bumi looked away, "Maybe I don't want to be in a relationship right now."

"Whatever you say."

Bolin spoke up, "Well, I think Su is afraid of betrayal, after Aiwei and all."

Su looked down, "Don't remind me."

"Well, Su, what's your sister afraid of?"

"Abandonment."

Lin didn't say anything, so her sister elaborated:

"She's afraid of being abandoned because Tenzin abandoned her, then mom, and me, I guess. And of course Bumi left for the U.F. and Kya's never around, that's why she doesn't like relationships, because she's afraid of being left behind."

"How insightful." Lin deadpanned.

"No! It's true! I get it now! Awww, Beifong! Not everyone's like Tenzin!" Korra said, trying to lighten the mood, receiving a glare from her airbending master in the process.

"So what are you? Dancer, wife, mother, collector of rare meteorites and a psychologist?" Bolin asked.

"No degree, but I guess." Su replied.

Everyone was silent.

"So," Mako said softly, "I guess now we have to conquer our fears."

"Uhh, not right now, I'm kind of happy with my rational fear." Bolin said shakily.

Everyone quickly agreed not to say anything about each other's fears and turned in for the night.

* * *

Lin was brushing her hair in a guest room of the island when there was a tap at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Bumi stepped in.

"Hey."

"Hi. Are you staying here for the night? Like when we were little?" She asked with a little smile as Bumi sat on the bed.

"Yeah, I always sleep better next to you."

"Is it true what they said? About your fear?"

"I guess so, I don't want to get committed to something I'll end up hating. The girl of my dreams isn't interested so…"

Lin smiled and sat on the bed, taking his hand.

"I didn't know how much my sister knew about me. I guess I am afraid of being abandoned. Look at us, we're quite tragic, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we're dumb. But Korra's right, you know. Not everyone's like Tenzin."

"Yeah, some are like you."

Bumi gave her a quizzical look, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're good, you wouldn't hurt me, or anyone else for that matter, you tell the truth when you're not happy. And you always make me smile."

Bumi grinned and hugged her, kissing her vanilla scented hair. "I'd never abandon you, Linny."

"So," she began, looking at his face, "Who's this girl of your dreams?"

"Uhhh…"

"Come on, Bumi, you tell me everything! You can tell me this; you know I can keep secrets. How did she turn you down?"

"By dating my brother."

Lin blinked "You like that gullible acolyte?"

"No!" Bumi laughed, "He had a much better girl before that,"

Then everything clicked. "Me?" she whispered. Bumi turned his head away and blushed.

"Wow."

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like me like that, but I still love being your-" He was cut off when she kissed him. She broke it after a moment, blushing.

"I never said I didn't want you. I was stupid back then, I guess I just missed you and I got the closest thing to you they had, and I thought I loved him, but I realised that everything I looked for in Tenzin was everything I saw in you."

"Really?" She nodded. Bumi thought for a moment. "Do you want to try it? I don't think I'm afraid of committing to you."

Lin nodded, "Just swear you won't just leave, you'll talk with me first?"

"Lin…" Bumi murmured, kissing her gently, "I'd never leave you."


End file.
